Controversial Strictly star Seann Walsh ‘has been claiming furlough payments since December after comedy gigs dried up amid the pandemic’
Comedian and controversial former-Strictly contestant Seann Walsh has reportedly been claiming furlough payments since December amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While scads of UK citizens have used the scheme since its initiation in 2020, thanks to the recurring lockdowns forcing people out of work, it seems Seann, 35, has resorted to it due to comedy and TV gigs drying up.
With theatres and comedy clubs closed for nearly a year, the revelation is perhaps unsurprising.
Covid crisis: Comedian and controversial former-Strictly contestant Seann Walsh has reportedly been claiming furlough payments since December amid the COVID-19 pandemic
The Sun reports that Seann Walsh Limited featured as the 595,144th on the list of the 740,000 businesses and individuals who made a claim in December 2020.
The information is public – classified by HMRC as Transparency Data.
Furlough is a shortened term for the ‘Employers who have claimed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme’.
Seann – who took part in Strictly 2018 – is the only listed employee of the company.
Struggles: While scads of UK citizens have used the scheme since its initiation in 2020, thanks to the recurring lockdowns forcing people out of work, it seems Seann, 35, has resorted to it due to comedy and TV gigs drying up
Shut down: With theatres and comedy clubs closed for nearly a year, the revelation is perhaps unsurprising
As per the scheme set out by the government, those under furlough have up to 80 per cent of their wages supplemented for hours not worked.
MailOnline has contacted Seann’s reps for comment.
His company boasted a balance of £179,219 in his 2018 summary. There was a slight drop in 2019 to £142,303.
Accounts for 2020 have yet to be released, but thousands of performers have struggled over the past 11 months since the pandemic hit and the entertainment industry came to a standstill.
Scandal: His stint on Strictly was mired by controversy after he and pro partner Katya Jones were caught in a passionate clinch one night
Drama: Both were in relationships – with Katya married to another of Strictly’s pro dancers, Neil Jones
His stint on Strictly was mired by controversy after he and pro partner Katya Jones were caught in a passionate clinch one night.
Both were in relationships – with Katya married to another of Strictly’s pro dancers, Neil Jones.
While Katya and Neil claimed they were able to move past the scandal, they have since split.
Seann, meanwhile, was dumped by his girlfriend at the time Rebecca Humphries.
Following the drama, he used this as material in some of his post-Strictly stand-up; but this didn’t go down well with punters.